SASKATOON, Sask. - The University of Saskatchewan Huskies dropped their 2025–26 season opener in four sets to the visiting Alberta Golden Bears on Friday night (Oct. 17) at Ron and Jane Graham Centre Court in the Physical Activity Complex.
The matchup featured two of last season's top three U SPORTS men's volleyball finishers—Alberta coming off a national silver medal and Saskatchewan having earned bronze in their respective 2024–25 campaigns.
Heading into the new season, Saskatchewan was ranked No. 3 in the Canada West Coaches Poll, while Alberta slotted in at No. 5.
However, on this night, it was a potent combination of high-flying offence and disciplined defence that propelled the Golden Bears to victory. Alberta racked up 55 kills and hit at an impressive .479 clip, compared to Saskatchewan's 45 kills and .217 hitting percentage. Defensively, the Golden Bears notched nine total blocks, while the Huskies managed just four.
The opening set was a tightly contested affair, with both teams trading kills and blocks and neither side leading by more than four points throughout the frame. Late in the set, Alberta reached set point at 24–20, but Saskatchewan dug deep, stringing together five straight points to grab a 25–24 lead. The run included a pair of aces from newly minted Huskie
Aaron Elser and kills from
Isaiah Mamer and Lucus Musschoot. Elser, making his debut in green and white, led the team with 14 kills on a stellar .478 hitting percentage. Despite the surge, Alberta responded with three straight points to take the set 27–25.
Saskatchewan carried that late momentum into the second set, storming out to a 22–12 lead. Alberta battled back, taking five of the next six points to close the gap to 23–17, prompting a Huskies timeout. The break proved effective, as Saskatchewan claimed two of the next three rallies, with Mamer's seventh kill of the frame sealing a 25–18 win. The fourth-year education student finished the match second on the team in kills with 10 on 33 attempts.
With the match tied at a set apiece, Alberta found another gear in the third. The Golden Bears' offence overwhelmed Saskatchewan, converting 55% of their attacks compared to just 10% for the Huskies. Jacob Sargent and Matt Shand led the charge, pacing all attackers with 16 and 15 kills, respectively, each converting nearly half of their attempts. Alberta cruised to a dominant 25–14 win in the set.
The fourth set followed a similar script. Alberta continued hitting above .500 and jumped out to an 8–0 lead before Saskatchewan could get on the board. The Huskies battled hard but couldn't overcome the Bears' relentless attack and tight defence. Alberta forced eight attack errors from the home side and sealed the match with a 25–16 victory.
The Huskies will look to bounce back quickly as they seek revenge against the Golden Bears in a rematch tomorrow afternoon (Oct. 18) at the PAC. First serve is set for 3:00 PM.
